On the eve of the World Blood Donor Day, doctors in Lviv once again call on people to share their blood with those in need.
Just one donation can save three lives. There is always a need for blood and its components, but now, during the war, this need has increased significantly and is constant.
“There has always been a need for donated blood to treat patients with serious illnesses or injuries. However, now, in times of war, this need has increased many times over, as our doctors are constantly treating patients with various injuries and mine-blast traumas. Therefore, it is no exaggeration to say that donated blood saves lives, and with its help doctors save the lives of those who are sometimes on the verge of death. That’s why we urge people to come, register and donate blood,” says Yuriy Kobetsky, head of the Blood Centre of the First Medical Association of Lviv.
Any healthy person between the ages of 18 and 60 who has no medical or social contraindications can donate blood.
Donating blood is safe and even useful, doctors say. After all, it contributes to the body’s self-healing and the prevention of cardiovascular diseases.
The human body contains, on average, about 5 litres of blood, and 450 ml is taken during the donation, and this is the so-called liquid part of the blood – plasma, which is restored within 18-20 hours. Experts advise women to donate blood 5 times a year, and men – 6 times a year.
Most often, whole blood is donated – it is taken from a vein in the arm. But you can also donate blood components, such as plasma or platelets.
You can donate blood in Lviv at the following addresses:
– The Blood Centre of the First Medical Association of Lviv (Mykolaychuk St., 9); contact phone number: 0 800 333 003;
– Lviv Regional Blood Service Centre (65 Pekarska St.), contact phone: 0322756405;
Mobile Blood Centre (changes location every time for the convenience of residents). This time – on 14 June, it will be at 1 Rynok Square, from 09:00 to 12:00, you can register and choose a convenient time for yourself by following the link;
Who can be a donor and what are the contraindications
Any legally capable Ukrainian over the age of 18 can become a donor. Your weight should be at least 50 kg – otherwise, blood donation can be dangerous for your health.
To become a donor, you must undergo an appropriate medical examination in a medical institution before donating blood and you must not have any contraindications determined by the Ministry of Health of Ukraine.
Absolute contraindications for donating blood and its components
Regardless of the duration of the disease and the results of treatment, people with the following contraindications cannot be blood donors.
Infectious and parasitic diseases
AIDS, HIV carriage, congenital or acquired syphilis, viral hepatitis, positive test results for viral hepatitis markers, all forms of tuberculosis, brucellosis, typhoid, tularemia, leprosy, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, echinococcosis, toxoplasmosis, filariasis, rishta, leishmaniasis.
Somatic diseases
- malignant neoplasms, blood diseases, organic diseases of the central nervous system, complete lack of hearing and/or speech, mental illness, drug addiction, alcoholism, cardiovascular diseases (hypertension of the II-III degree, coronary heart disease, atherosclerosis, arrhythmias, thrombophlebitis, heart defects);
- respiratory diseases (bronchial asthma, bronchiectasis, pulmonary emphysema, obstructive bronchitis, pneumosclerosis);
- diseases of the digestive system (achilles gastritis, gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer);
- diseases of the liver and biliary tract (chronic liver diseases, including those of a toxic nature and of unclear etiology, calculous cholecystitis, liver cirrhosis);
- kidney disease (diffuse and focal kidney damage, urolithiasis);
- connective tissue diseases, radiation sickness, diseases of the endocrine system, diseases of the ENT organs (osena, other acute and chronic severe purulent-inflammatory diseases), eye diseases (high myopia – 5 diopters or more, trachoma, complete blindness, residual uveitis);
- skin diseases (psoriasis, erythroderma, eczema, lupus erythematosus, blistering dermatoses, widespread fungal and pustular lesions);
- osteomyelitis, surgical interventions for amputation or resection of an organ and transplantation of organs and tissues.
Temporary contraindications for donating blood and its components
If you have any diseases that are not included in this list, please inform your doctor – the issue of admission to donation is decided by the doctor of the blood transfusion facility or a relevant specialist.Taking blood and/or its components from a donor is allowed only if the donor’s health is not harmed.
| List of contraindications to donation | Elimination of donation for |
| Transfusions of blood components (except for burn convalescents and persons immunised to Rh factor) | 1 year |
| Pregnancy and lactation period | 1 year after childbirth and at least 3 months after the end of lactation |
| Surgeries, including abortions (a certificate of the nature and date of the operation from a medical institution or an extract from an outpatient record is required) | 1 year after surgery |
| Tattooing, ear piercing, piercing, acupuncture treatment | 1 year from the end of the procedure |
| Staying on foreign business trips lasting more than 2 months | 6 months |
| Staying in malaria-endemic countries of tropical and subtropical climates (Africa, Asia, South and Central America) for more than 3 months. | 3 years |
| Contact with patients with hepatitis A | 3 months |
| Contact with patients with hepatitis B, C | 1 year |
| Past infectious diseases (not listed in the section “Absolute contraindications”): | |
| – malaria | 3 years |
| – typhoid fever | 1 year |
| – sore throat, flu, acute respiratory viral disease (after recovery) | 1 month |
| – other infectious diseases | 6 months |
| Acute or chronic inflammatory processes in the acute stage (regardless of their localisation), body temperature above 37°C | 1 month after the end of the acute period |
| Allergic diseases | 2 months after the end of the acute period |
| Tooth extraction | 10 days |
| Vaccination against: | |
| – killed and recombinant vaccines (tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis, hepatitis B, influenza, cholera, typhoid and paratyphoid), anatoxins | 10 days |
| – live vaccines (BCG, smallpox, tetanus, polio, brucellosis, plague, tularemia), administration of tetanus serum | 1 month. |
| – rabies, administration of immunoglobulin against hepatitis B | 1 year |
| – Mantoux reaction | 14 days |
| Medicinal course of treatment | 14 days after the end of the course |
| Period of menstruation | at least 5 days after the end of the |
| Alcohol consumption | 48 hours |
How to prepare for blood donation
Preparing to donate blood is not difficult. To protect your health and the health of the person who will need your blood, follow a few rules.
What to do before donating blood
- Three days before the donation, stop taking analgesics and aspirin and medicines containing them (these substances impair blood clotting).
- Try to limit the consumption of fatty, fried and dairy foods on the eve and on the day of blood donation.
- Do not come to donate blood if you feel unwell (chills, dizziness, headache, weakness).
- Be sure to get enough sleep and eat a light breakfast (sweet tea, diet biscuits, porridge with water).
- Do not drink alcohol 48 hours before the donation.
- Do not smoke 2 hours before the donation.
What to do when donating blood
During the pre-donation examination by a doctor, answer questions frankly and do not conceal information about the use of medicines, alcohol, drugs and past illnesses. When donating blood, tell the staff if you feel unwell. Be sure to inform your doctor about any complications during the donation.
What to do after donating blood
- rest for 10 minutes;
- Eat a light meal and drink sweet tea;
- for 2-3 hours, do not lift anything heavy with the hand with which the blood was taken;
- try to avoid intense physical activity for the next 12 hours;
- do not drink alcoholic beverages earlier than 8 hours later;
- try to eat frequently and regularly for two days;
- Drink plenty of fluids for two days;
- come back to donate blood after a recovery period: at least 60 days must pass after donating blood before the donor can donate again.
Men are recommended to donate blood no more than 5 times a year, women – 4 times a year.
If you feel dizzy, seek medical attention. The easiest way to help yourself is to lie down and raise your legs above your head or sit down and put your head between your knees. Do not attempt to walk or drive immediately if you feel dizzy.